Blog

Finding the Divine Spark in All of Us

This is going to sound like the start of a joke, but it’s not: what do a doctor, nun and prisoner have in common? The answer is in the title. They all talked about seeing the divine spark in others.

A few months ago, we were facilitating a session on quality improvement in healthcare which starts with open and authentic communication. When we talked about how the doctors were living their mission, one stood up and said that every day he tries to see the divine in others. Today, I was with PeaceHealth, and one of the sisters talked about the importance of compassion and the divine. Last weekend, I was volunteering for The Freedom to Choose Foundation, an organization which helps prisoners learn new communication skills so that they get a second chance and become productive citizens. One inmate said that he looked to see the divine in his fellow inmates as he went about his day.

So, what is this all about? Should we care? Does it matter in business?

Finding the divine in ourselves is connecting with what makes us special. It can shine light on our life’s purpose. It is what makes us keep going.

When we see the divine in someone else, we can put our judgments aside and listen to what’s possible. When we see that something special in a team member, we can slow down and be open to compromise rather than go into conflict. When we see something in others that moves us, we feel connected. Suddenly, instead of a group of people, we are a team acting as one.

The divine in us keeps us going when we are tired and our minds want us to stop and sleep right where we are. The divine in us lets us create and find beauty in music, art or writing that makes us cry or smile or both. The divine in us warms our soul and anchors us in the present when we see a baby smile or a kitten play with a ball of wool or an eagle fly across a sunset.